Vampire Heart
by mountaingirl47
Summary: Ikuto has three vampire brides, but doesn't plan to take any of them as his wife. The new fiance of his neighbor, however, catches his eye. Now the old vampire simply wants a wife by his side. He'll stop at nothing to have her. Amuto!
1. Chapter 1

Morg: Heyo! New story time!

Ikuto: Another one?

Amu: If this one sucks like some of your other ones then I hope no one reads it.

Morg: Funny you should mention sucking.

Ikuto: I like the sound of this already.

Amu: You would, you pervert.

Morg: It's a vampire fic!

Ikuto: …what?

Amu: Great.

Morg: What!? I haven't written one, yet! I want to go for it!

Ikuto: She's joined the dark side.

Amu: Thank ever higher being that she doesn't own us.

Morg: This is a Dracula fic so it's going to be great!

Ikuto: Somehow, I doubt that.

Amu: You said it.

**~Vampire Heart~**

Living in isolation was all the Ikuto had ever wanted. Being close to humans was not what he desired. When the Hotori family had built their estate so close to his own-it was still a few miles away but that was too close for Ikuto-he'd been furious. His anger had started a feud between the two families that had lasted through several generations on the Hotori side. It couldn't last as long on Ikuto's since he didn't age.

"Stop staring at that house. You only brood more when you do."

Ignoring the female voice, Ikuto continued to glare over the railing of his balcony. His supreme eyesight gave him the ability to see as a car pulled into the long drive of the Hotori Estate. Something was happening there. Ikuto had been watching the preparations happen for weeks. They were about to celebrate something. "Mind your own business, Rima."

Used to the snarky comments from her betrothed, Rima simply rolled her eyes before moving further into the house. Just because Ikuto could be in the sunlight didn't mean that they all could be. "Whatever, that house has been there for ages now. It isn't going anywhere. Just give up all the fighting. It's useless."

Ikuto opened his mouth to hiss back a comment but stopped the moment the car door opened. A young girl was helped from the vehicle. Her hair was a lovely shade of pink and Ikuto wanted her. "Well, well, well. Things certainly just got interesting."

XXX

Staring blankly out the window as a car brought her to Tadase's family's home, Amu ignored the man chatting beside her. Whatever it was that Tadase was saying, Amu wasn't hearing it. It wasn't that she wasn't interested, it was just that she was rather nervous. It wasn't every day that you met the parents of the man you were going to marry just before you married him.

Amu's thoughts were only brought back to focus when Ami nudged her.

"-you're going to love it here, Amu. The air is so fresh and the land is beautiful. Kukai-san takes great pride in keeping the grounds in perfect condition. Our wedding will definitely be wonderful."

Smiling at the man she was to marry, Amu nodded before looking back out the winder. Her eyes landed on a rather large house sitting on top of a nearby hill. The house looked foreboding, but that didn't stop Amu from seeing some beauty in it. "This is definitely a beautiful area. I'm sure I'll be happy here."

The lie seemed to satisfy Tadase as he hummed while maneuvering the car around a turn. The house was blocked from Amu's view by trees, but that didn't stop the pinkette from thinking about it. She wondered if anyone lived there still.

By marrying Tadase, Amu was going to be living at his estate with his parents. She didn't particularly mind moving to the countryside. What Amu did mind was the fact that Tadase now expected her to just play the role of wife. She wasn't to do anything that might seem untoward.

However, with him traveling for business, Amu planned to do as much exploring of the area as she could. Their wedding would be within the week. After that, she'd be free of him most of the time.

Jolting out of her thoughts as the car stopped in front of the stairs that led to a rather large house, Amu briefly closed her eyes to gain her composure. Her parents hadn't made the trip yet. They'd be coming later in the week for the wedding, but her sister had come and Amu had to make certain that Ami couldn't tell she was apprehensive about this union.

The door opened without Amu touching it. She accepted Tadase's hand as he helped her out of the car and up the front steps to his home. The place was massive. Amu knew for certain that she'd easily get lost there.

XXX

"Yaya wants to know where Ikuto-sama is going!"

Sighing, Ikuto ignored the two brides before him. Their changes from human to vampire had happened centuries ago, but they still acted childish at times. However, Ikuto could honestly say he never regretted his decisions when he'd picked the three girls that were his brides. His life had definitely gone from dull to a bit exciting with them around.

However, they should never question him. Not when Ikuto was purposely not telling them something. He was still their master, after all. Had he been so lenient lately that they thought they could do whatever they wanted?

Hissing at the girl, Ikuto watched as Yaya and Rima cowered away from him. They hissed back, but it was more out of defense than it was to hold malice. "I will do as I wish. Keep your questions for yourselves."

Yaya hung her head as she moved to leave. It was daytime. She and Rima could not be in the sunlight unless they wished to perish. Ikuto was the only one that could do that. Him and whoever he took as his mate someday.

Sighing, Rima moved to follow Yaya and leave Ikuto to do whatever it was that Ikuto was doing. "Utau isn't going to like this when she finds out."

Ignoring the clear warning that his bride was giving him, Ikuto shrugged his shoulders before leaving the house. "She can also keep it to herself."

The time that it would take Ikuto to walk to the house mansion was far less than it should have been. His abilities as a vampire made it easy for him to move quickly. In fact, he was much faster than any human could ever wish to be. His senses were also heightened. He easily maneuvered past the useless guard that patrolled the borders of the land to make certain no trespassers would enter. Humans were useless.

Straightening himself, Ikuto approached the front door of the house before knocking on the large door. He did not have to wait long for it to be opened for him. Without hesitating, Ikuto entered after a low 'come in' was given to him by the servant. It had been a long time since he'd actually visited the Hotori Estate. He could honestly say that not much had changed.

"What is it that I can do for you, sir?"

Smiling at the servant before him, Ikuto gave a slight nod of his head in the form of a bow. He'd never bend his back to a human, but he needed to be polite at the moment to gain entry to the house. "I wish to speak with the young master of the estate. I bring good news for him."

The servant bowed before leaving the foyer to find the young master that was sought after. He returned soon enough with the man that Ikuto hated purely because his last name was Hotori.

"I'm not expecting anyone. Who could be here to see me?"

Nodding his head at the human now within his view, Ikuto kept his demeanor as pleasant as he could. Hotori Tadase was a brat that he'd never wanted to meet. "I'm sorry to disturb you, Hotori. I'm Tsukiyomi Ikuto. My estate borders yours. I've heard the good news of your engagement and came to wish you congratulations."

"Tsukiyomi? What are you doing here?"

Ikuto knew that the feud between them would hinder his plans, but he wasn't about to give up so easily. The pink haired girl was definitely somewhere within the house. Ikuto simply wished to meet her. "Ah, I'm here to set the fight between our families to rest. Think of my visit as an opportunity to lay old feuds to rest."

Tadase stared at the hand offered to him for several seconds before taking it. His father and his grandfather and his grandfather's father had all hated the Tsukiyomi's, but Tadase had never been wronged by the family. With his wedding drawing so near, he thought it would be a good opportunity to indeed mend the rift. "Welcome to our home, Tsukiyomi."

"Call me Ikuto." The man that he was shaking hands with did not need to know that Ikuto was the same Tsukiyomi that had started the fight with Tadase's ancestors. If the man knew his true age then Ikuto would be cast out and called a monster, though that was exactly what he was. "You must be busy with the preparations of your wedding. Are things going smoothly?"

Still a bit wary of the man that suddenly showed up at his home, Tadase gave a slight nod of his head to answer the question. "Things are going well. My servants are seeing to it. Please, won't you join us for a bit of tea?"

Ikuto would have refused the offer at any other time due to the fact that he did not consume human food. Unless it was humans as his food. However, the purpose of his visit was not to make friends with the young Hotori. No, Ikuto would rather snap his little neck and be done with the entire line. He, of course, accepted the offer of tea for one sole purpose. To meet the fiancé. He'd seen her from afar, but Ikuto wanted to see her from a much closer to viewpoint to make certain that he was correct in his thoughts.

Following the man through his house, Ikuto didn't bother to hide his distain at the decorations that littered the hall. The Hotori's had no sense of propriety. Then again, he left all the decorating to Utau, so Ikuto couldn't really say much about the items around him.

They entered through an open to door into a small parlor where two young girls were already seated with cups in their hands. One was clearly younger than the other. Her hair was a light brown and she seemed rather excited to be where she was.

The other girl, however, didn't seem to share the same enthusiasm. Her pink hair was pulled halfway up to leave her face open for Ikuto to see. In that moment, he knew that she would be his wife. He only needed to make her accept it.

"Ladies, this is Tsukiyomi Ikuto. He lives up upon the hill. Our families have never gotten along, but he's heard of the engagement and came to set old disputes to rest."

Ikuto only had eyes for the pink haired beauty. He was quick to bow to her, the first bow he'd given a human in several hundred years. She, however, was more than a lowly human to him. His eyes never left hers as he spoke, "It is a pleasure to make your acquaintance. I do hope that your time here will be pleasant."

Amu was not quite certain what she should think of the man staring at her so openly. However, her sister broke the silence she seemed to be trapped in by those blue eyes.

"It is a pleasure to meet you as well, Tsukiyomi san. Please join us for some tea."

Smirking a bit, Ikuto moved forward to sit opposite of the girls. He didn't bother to look away from Amu's beautiful eyes. She would, indeed, make a most beautiful vampire bride. "I hope that this week is rather eventful for you."

Clearing her throat, Amu shifted her gaze down to the cup in her hands. Something told her to be wary of the male that had just entered the room, though she couldn't help but be drawn to him. "Yes, I suppose it will be."

Clapping his hands, Tadase smiled at his soon to be wife before gesturing for everyone to enjoy their tea. "Let's drink to our happiness! Amu, my love, please pour our guest a drink."

Ikuto, though he disliked the taste of human foods, gladly drank to that. He would indeed be happy in the future. Especially with Amu at his side.

.

Morg: First chapter done!

Ikuto: What is this?

Amu: I don't know, but I kind of like it so far.

Morg: It's a vampire fic. What else would it be?

Ikuto: This better get good in the near future or no one is going to like it.

Amu: Oh, stop it.

Morg: Please prove him wrong and tell me what you think!


	2. Chapter 2

Morg: Heyo! So yeah, lots of love for the first chapter.

Ikuto: Don't know why.

Amu: It wasn't that bad.

Morg: So let's keep it up for the second one!

Ikuto: I know something that should be up.

Amu: Please stop.

Morg: I know I don't own anything.

Ikuto: Yeah, too bad.

Amu: Thank God.

Morg: But I enjoy writing these, so here you go!

**~Vampire Heart~**

Unsure about the newest guest to their little tea party, Amu tried to focus on her cup of tea and the rambles that wouldn't stop spilling from Tadase's mouth. The man didn't know how to be quiet, but his words were too uninteresting to block the feeling of being stared at.

Glancing up, Amu's eyes met the blue ones of Tsukiyomi Ikuto. The man had basically intruded, but no one but Amu found it a bit odd. The thing that bothered Amu the most wasn't that Tadase was droning on, or that Ami seemed to be hanging onto every word that Amu's fiancé let out. No, it was the look in Ikuto's eyes. It was as if the man was hungry. That he wanted to eat her. To bite her and steal her life away. The stare was certainly unnerving.

Clearing his throat, Tadase grinned again when Ikuto's eyes returned to him. "Can you believe that? That my grandfather was certain that your family was into witchcraft? As if that could be real."

Ami laughed lightly with the blond male. They were the only two to do so.

Ikuto let out a smirk before returning his gaze to golden eyes. This girl was beyond perfect. She'd be wasted on a fool such as a Hotori. "Actually, we're satanistic. Sort of."

The grin on Ikuto's lips made Amu let out a laugh. She covered it with a cough before clearing her throat and taking a sip of her tea. Tadase thought of her as a perfect lady and Amu didn't want to shatter his misconceptions of her before their marriage. She needed this union to secure her families future, even if Amu didn't particularly want it.

The air fell silent between the four adults. Tadase didn't know what else to say due to Ikuto's comment. Ami didn't want to breach the silence with something stupid to say. Amu was shifting slightly due to Ikuto's eyes still being on her, and Ikuto was too busy staring at Amu to worry about what anyone else was doing.

Placing her cup onto the small table before her, Amu let out a quiet sigh before pushing herself to her feet. "Well, I do think that I've been sitting quite enough for today. Tadase kun, would you join me for a stroll?"

Smiling sweetly at his soon to be wife, Tadase gave a bow before offering his hand. "Ikuto san, Ami chan, please follow us. I do think it is time for the future woman of this household to see her lands."

Ami was quick to get to her feet as Amu took Tadase's arm to leave the room. "Would you do me the honor of walking with me, Ikuto san?"

Holding back the urge to respond to Tadase's pompous comment with how his estate was much bigger and grander, Ikuto gave a short bow to the other girl. Ami was Amu's sister after all. Ikuto figured he should be nice to her, being that they were future in-laws and all. "Of course. It would be my honor."

Giggling, Ami fell into step beside the rather tall male. The young girl couldn't deny that her companion for the walk was quite handsome. "Tadase san said that you live up on the hill? I saw the house when we were coming along the drive. It looks rather grand, but old. Is it hard to maintain?"

Hiding his disdain at having to have such a conversation with a human that barely interested him, Ikuto kept his fake pleasant demeanor. "Actually, the household is rather easy to maintain. There are three rather diligent ladies that see to the manor. They take a lot of pride in their work."

"You've only got three servants?"

Ikuto didn't care to know why the younger Hinamori sounded disappointed by this news. He was going to break her heart though. Of course he didn't have servants. The temptation to drink them dry would be too great. Humans were safer being further away, which was part of the reason that Ikuto had been so furious when the Hotori's had built their estate where they did. "Ah, my ladies are not servants. They would be quite offended to hear you call them that way."

Raising one of her eye brows, Ami looked up at the dashing man. Something just didn't seem right about him. While he talked to her, his eyes stayed on Amu's figure. As if he couldn't possibly take his eyes off of her. "My mistake. Though isn't that a bit uncouth? Single ladies should not be living with an unwed male. You are unwed, correct?"

Taking his eyes off Amu for only a moment, Ikuto smirked down at the girl with her hand lightly tucked into the crook of his arm. He hated that she was touching him so casually. The girl had no idea what kind of danger she was in. How easy it would be for Ikuto to push them off the path without Tadase and Amu noticing. How little of a fight it would be for him to suck her blood until she had nothing left to give.

Being that he was attempting to gain Amu's favor for ulterior reasons, Ikuto played nice with the girl on his arm. "I am very much a bachelor. We do live a bit _differently_ from the rest of society, but the situation works out rather well in favor for all of us. There hasn't been a need to change it."

Moving her eyes forward, Ami gave a firm nod of her head. "I should think that they'll have a rather difficult time finding husbands. No doubt their reputations are ruined."

Smirking at that, Ikuto made a mental note to inform his brides of the matter once he returned to them. They were surely going to find this just as amusing as he did. "Quite."

XXX

As hard as she tried, Amu couldn't seem to focus on a word that Tadase spoke as he pointed out various places in and outside of the manor. It wasn't that Amu didn't care to know what the man was saying, but she could still feel the eyes of the man behind them. She'd been hoping that leaving the parlor would free her from the hungry stare. Their departure seemed to have only made it worse.

"This area of the garden is lovely for parties and such. Kukai is readying it for our own for after the wedding. I shall introduce you to him so that if there is anything that you desire, he can make it become reality."

About to refuse, Amu caught sight of a rather good looking male as he cleared out part of a flower bed. The plants that he was removing were a bit on the withered side. The ones that he had ready to plant were much greener and fuller. "Is that him?"

Tadase grinned before leading his fiancé over to the gardener so that they could be introduced. "Kukai san, please meet Amu chan. This is my lovely bride."

Dusting his hands on his pants, the male stood before bowing to the woman that would become his employer. Though he wished that he was in a better state for this sort of introduction, Kukai didn't bother to hold back his smile as he greeted the woman. "Pleasure to meet you, Amu chan. Please work closely with me in the future so we can keep these grounds looking beautiful together."

Quite liking the man, Amu nodded her back in the form of a bow. There was no doubt in her mind that she and Kukai would become friends. After all, she was going to be staying at the manor while Tadase did his traveling. Who else would there be for her to speak to? "The pleasure is mine. The grounds already look so splendid. There is little that I can do to improve them."

Rubbing at the back of his head, Kukai continued to grin. He wasn't quite certain what he should say to such a compliment. He did work his hardest to make certain that everything was perfect for the Hotori family. "Thank you, miss."

Ikuto and Ami stopped just beside Tadase and Ami to meet the gardener as well. Ikuto even went as far as to shake the man's hand even though he didn't particularly care to.

Clearing his throat, Tadase turned to the other couple that stood beside him and Amu. They had seen most of the estate and the evening was wearing on. The man was feeling rather hungry. "Shall we go in to dine? I'm certain that everyone is feeling a bit famished."

Amu and Ami nodded in response as Kukai moved to continue working on his flowers. The offer for dinner was not extended to him and he knew that.

Sighing, Ikuto made certain to look as though he was truly troubled that he had to turn down human food. Of course, none of the humans that he was currently with had any idea that he detested the vile nutrients that they called food. "Alas, I cannot. I must return to my own estate. Please enjoy your meal."

Holding out his hand, Tadase smiled at the male that had surprised him by showing up for a visit. He was pleased that he could be the one to mend the rift between their two families. The young master found feuds to be rather dull. "It was a pleasure to have you here today, Tsukiyomi san. Please do visit in the future."

Eyeing the hand extended to him, Ikuto clasped his hands behind his back as he bowed. "I shall then." Tipping his head once again, though keeping his eyes on Amu, Ikuto began to back away. "Ladies, please do enjoy your evening."

Amu only had a moment to think about how Ikuto must have walked to the manor since there wasn't any sign of a car like Tadase had. Maybe the man wasn't as bad as she thought.

XXX

Reaching his manor in a matter of minutes, Ikuto let out a sigh as he closed the door behind him. Of course, Utau was waiting for him to come back. "How was your afternoon?"

Scowling, Utau crossed her arms as she leaned her weight onto one foot. "Don't play coy with me. I know where it is that you've been. Rima and Yaya told me all about it. Why would you just go off to that estate? We all know how much you hate it. There has to be a reason."

Releasing a sigh that sounded more like a hiss, Ikuto brushed past the other vampire. Utau could say what she wanted, but Ikuto was still the master. "I also told them to keep it to themselves. I will say the same to you. Do not ask me about my business, for it is my own."

Hissing in reply, Utau moved to get closer to the other but stopped. "What is that smell?"

Shrugging, Ikuto made his way into the kitchen. The nice thing about the human civilization improving things was that he could now keep bags of blood in his home. It was much more convenient than bodies. "You can probably smell humans. I was around a bunch of them. Disgusting creatures. Most of them, anyways."

Ignoring most of Ikuto's words, Utau moved closer. Her mind was focused on the smell that was coming off Ikuto. For some reason, he smelled better than he usually did. Shaking the thought out of her head. Utau switched her tactic. "When are you going to take one of us as your wife? You know that we are all willing."

Turning now, Ikuto sent a quiet glare to the female vampire. It was true. He'd turned each of the three girls with the intention of one day making one or all of them his wife. They were his brides, but they'd never completed the process to be wed. Ikuto hadn't found the need. "Why do you question me so?"

Angry now, Utau threw a finger up to point at the male before her. "It's a human, isn't it!? You've found a new one! You plan to make her another bride. I won't hear of it. I won't allow it! You have me! You don't need a new one!"

Actually angry now, Ikuto hissed as he moved towards the girl faster than a human would have been able to see. He had her pinned to the wall by her throat before she could react to his movements. "Let me make one thing absolutely clear, to all of you!"

Rima and Yaya cowered in the doorway but didn't enter the kitchen area.

Shaking Utau's prone form, Ikuto hissed his words out with authority. It wasn't often that the girls needed to be reminded as to who the real master of the house was. "I am the original. I am the master! The decisions that I make do not concern you. You live now only because I allow it! Do not forget this again! Do not test me again!"

Utau fell to the floor after being released. She held a hand to her sore throat, but didn't move as Ikuto left the manor. They all felt him leave, though they didn't know as to where he went. The sun was not quite out of the sky. They could not follow him.

"Utau?"

Looking up at Rima and Yaya, Utau scowled at the two. "No, he might be the master, but I am his bride. I will not let another take my place. I will not let a human come between us and him. We'll kill this girl. We'll kill her tonight before she can cause any more harm."

.

Morg: Boom.

Ikuto: Exciting.

Amu: Not too bad.

Morg: Nothing I write is bad.

Ikuto: Well…

Amu: Huh, yeah. About that.

Morg: Shut it!


	3. Chapter 3

Morg: Heyo! I seriously need to get better at updating.

Ikuto: You finally admit it?

Amu: I think she's known for a while.

Morg: That's true. I've known for a while.

Ikuto: First step to fixing a problem is admitting you have one.

Amu: Granted, not owning us really isn't a problem.

Morg: Oh, but it is.

**~Vampire Heart~**

Ikuto wasn't completely certain as to what he was doing. When he'd left his manor for the second time he hadn't planned to return to the Hotori estate. It was like Amu was drawing him to her. However, unlike the first time he was there that day, Ikuto didn't make his presence known.

Being that he was a vampire and fully capable of remaining unseen when he wanted to, the male stayed out of sight. His eyes stayed glued to Amu's form as he watched her move within the house. He was most pleased to see her reject a kiss from her fiancé.

It wasn't long after Tadase was rejected that they all retired to their prospective rooms. Ikuto didn't move from his hiding spot until he was certain that Amu was in her bed. He would have loved to watch her go through the process of readying herself for slumber, but he didn't think he'd be able to resist the urge to claim her if he did see it.

Dodging a servant that was also a guard for the Hotori's, Ikuto moved onto Amu's dark balcony. He could make out her form as she lay in her bed. The temptation was great, but Ikuto held back. He only wanted to watch her for a while longer before he'd return to his own estate. He'd have another chance to meet her. Of that he was certain. Especially because he was going to create the circumstances of their next meeting.

Ikuto wanted her. That was more than certain, but the vampire didn't want to just take her. Amu was something he'd been looking for, for a rather long time. He wasn't going to just let her slip through his fingers.

But as the first vampire stood there watching the girl sleep, he realized that he didn't want to steal her. He wanted her to come with him. A human that freely gave themselves to a vampire always tasted the sweetest, but that wasn't the only reason. Ikuto wanted Amu to be with him just as he wanted to be with her.

XXX

Once the sun was gone from the sky, Rima slipped from the house. Utau was right. Ikuto didn't need another human. He simply needed to claim one of them as his wife. Rima hadn't been alive for as long as she had been-if you could count her as still being alive-just to be pushed aside by some human. She couldn't let that happened.

Since Ikuto was still gone from the mansion, the short vampire quickly made her way out into the night. She might not be as fast as her master, but Rima wasn't exactly slow. The time it took her to reach the estate not far from their grand home was very little.

Once the smell of the humans within the household hit her nose, Rima slowed her pace. She didn't want to be discovered. It would be hard to explain what she was doing lurking around the outskirts of the house in the middle of the night. There was no way that Ikuto would save her from getting into trouble. Rima was well aware of the fact that Ikuto didn't want her anywhere close to the human that she was currently on a mission to find.

Backing away from the house, Rima slipped into the shadows the trees. It was less likely that she'd be found there. The vampire bride needed to wait a bit longer before making her move. Striking too soon could mean that the human might still be awake. If she screamed then Rima would be in trouble. If she was discovered then she couldn't lead the humans back to Ikuto and the others. She knew her master wouldn't save her.

The hours moved on without Rima doing the same. She stayed in her spot, listening to the sounds of the night and simply waiting. When the night was more than half over, Rima knew that she couldn't stay where she was. If she was truly going to eliminate the human then she needed to do it quickly and return to the mansion. Hopefully, Ikuto wouldn't kill her when he found out what she was about to do.

Moving through the night, Rima moved from window to window, peeking inside to look for whichever human seemed likely. There was no way that it was the male. Not a servant either. Those had been around for a while. There was a room with a young girl sleeping in it, but she looked too young.

Finding the next window, Rima looked in to find a woman sleeping peacefully in her bed. Ikuto's scent was there on the balcony. Rima knew that she'd found the right room. This human was the one that her master had been watching, which meant that she was also the human that needed to die.

Slipping into the room, Rima made certain to make no noise as she moved. The human wasn't aware of her presence. The vampire planned to keep it that way until the girl was no longer a threat. Until she was no longer breathing.

Standing just beside the human's bed, Rima took a moment to just study the other. Her pink hair was unusual, but there was nothing else that should have drawn Ikuto to her. The human wasn't special. Rima wouldn't be replaced by someone so ordinary.

Pulling her hand back, Rima waited for a second to let her nails slowly extend into claws. She'd slash the girl's throat and retreat before anyone found out. The death would be that simple.

Rima brought her arm down just as the door to the room open. The vampire spun to face the intruder. Her claws missed her target by centimeters. Hissing, the vampire dropped back into a fighting stance as she took in the sight of human staring at her.

"What ar-"

Rima didn't let the male finish before she attacked him. The impact of her body against his made him lose consciousness. Ikuto's first rule was that human's weren't allowed to know of their existence. They could travel further away and cause trouble, but the humans closest to their home would have no idea that they lived amongst vampires.

Unable to leave the human to wake up and spread stories of her attack, Rima picked the male up before leaving the way that she'd come in. He wasn't that heavy to her, thanks to her vampire strength.

Making it back to the mansion, Rima snuck into one of the lower levels with her prisoner. She deposited in a room that was far underground. It was a place that the others didn't ever feel the need to go to. The rumor that all vampires loved being underground during the sunlight hours wasn't true. Which meant that the underground rooms within the mansion were prefect for her prisoner. She had plenty of time to figure out what to do with him.

With the doors to the room locked, Rima waited a few seconds to just listen to see if her excellent hearing would pick up the sounds of anyone coming to investigate. The human did sort of smell.

It was in that moment that Rima noticed just how good the human smelled. It wasn't like she hadn't had blood for a while. She'd had some just earlier that day before she'd left to go kill the human. Now, however, she felt like her hunger was tearing her stomach to pieces. The human smelled too good.

Keeping her distance less she be tempted to taste the male, Rima stopped breathing. She didn't really need to breathe to live, but the smell still found its way in to her nose. It was rather perplexing for the vampire.

A groan filled the room as Rima clenched her jaw. She didn't want to admit that the sound was rather inviting.

"Where am I?"

The groggy voice was also pleasant to her ears. Something strange was happening. Stepping forward, she faced the human that she'd taken prisoner. "You'll remain here until I return."

The male didn't have the chance to respond before Rima was out the door.

The small vampire made her way through the mansion. She knew that her master was there. As badly as she didn't want to speak to him about what she'd done, she needed to know what to do now. There was a human in their basement. Rima hadn't ever been in the situation she was in now.

Ikuto barely looked at her as she entered his study. Rima knew that he was still a bit angry about the confrontation he'd had with Utau. Rima definitely didn't want to have to tell him what she was about to say. "Master."

Looking up from his work, Ikuto narrowed his gaze. It was never a good thing if Rima approached him like she was. "What have you done?"

Flinching back, Rima cowered to the floor to show that she completely submitted to the stronger vampire. She was his bride. He wouldn't kill her, but that didn't mean he would be kind to her either. "Master, I have made a grave mistake."

Fangs bared, Ikuto moved until he was standing over the already cowering vampire. "Let's hope that it isn't one to put you into your grave."

Rima squeezed her eyes shut for a moment. She was hoping for the same thing. "I disobeyed, Master. I went to the Hotori residence with the intent to kill the human that Master has taken a liking to."

Hissing, Ikuto held himself back from tearing Rima apart. He needed to know what she had done. "You deliberately disobeyed me! What have you done?"

Rima continued to grovel on the ground. She knew that doing anything else would cause Ikuto to strike her. The vampire didn't want that. "I didn't touch her, Master. She was alive when I left."

Calming a bit, Ikuto took a breath that he didn't need just to let go of some of his rage. "Then why are you here?"

Flinching again, Rima curled further into herself on the floor. There was no telling what her master was going to do. "A human saw me, Master. I brought him here. He's locked in a lower room."

Ikuto raised his hand at that. He wanted to strike the vampire cowering before him. She was foolish and naïve. The female had caused so many problems that he didn't need. However, before delivering the hit he so wanted to release, Ikuto dropped his hand. Instead of hitting Rima, he turned away from her. "The human is your mistake now. I release you. You are no longer one of my brides. Do what you wish."

If Rima could have cried, she would have. Being hit wouldn't have been pleasant, but this was much worse. There was nothing that she could say or do as she picked herself up from the floor and ran from Ikuto's sight. She didn't have to leave the house. He hadn't told her to leave, but she knew that he would no longer protect her like he once had.

Returning to the basement, Rima glared at the human that was the cause of all her problems. "What's your name, human?"  
The male was startled by her sudden appearance. Clearly, he'd been trying to find some way out of the room. Rima wasn't stupid enough to let that happen.

"Nagihiko. What are you? Where are we?"

"Nagihiko." Rima let the name roll off her tongue before she grinned so that the male could see her sharp fangs. "A vampire does enjoy knowing the name of those they feed on."

Nagi didn't have the chance to scream as fangs pierced his neck. He was dropped to his knees at the mercy of the vampire that was draining away his life. There was nothing he could do but let darkness cover his eyes.

Rima had meant to only take a taste, but Nagihiko tasted so good to her that once she started, she couldn't stop. She felt his life leaving him, but she couldn't stop. Then it struck her. It wasn't that she couldn't stop. It was that she didn't want to stop.

It wasn't until every drop of the human's blood was gone that Rima released him. Even dead, he was still quite a handsome man for a human.

Not thinking over her actions, Rima stepped closer while digging her fangs into her own wrist. She let the blood fall into the lifeless man's open mouth. If she no longer belonged to Ikuto then maybe it would be good to have someone belong to her.

.

Morg: And so it begins.

Ikuto: What begins?

Amu: Rima wouldn't really kill me, you know.

Morg: She would.

Ikuto: That short thing? Yeah, she'd totally slit your throat if she could reach it.

Amu: She would not! We're great friends!


	4. Chapter 4

Morg: Heyo! Guys, I've done something smart, but stupid.

Ikuto: I don't know if I want to know.

Amu: I honestly don't care.

Morg: I went back to school. I'm getting my Masters, which means less writing time.

Ikuto: You're right, that was stupid.

Amu: Why do you need your Masters?

Morg: Because someday I plan to make enough money to buy the rights to you!

Ikuto: Awesome.

Amu: Not happening!

**~Vampire Heart~**

Ikuto wasn't a fool. He knew that if Rima had tried to get to Amu during the night then the other two would try as well. Too bad he'd be there to stop them before they ever got close to her. To protect her, Ikuto stayed outside her room on the balcony as the night moved on around him. Amu slept peacefully in her bed.

At least, protection was the reason he claimed he was standing there staring through the windows. Amu was so beautiful. The darkness did little to hinder his sight. Ikuto could see every detail of the lovely face. As much as was turned in his direction. Her pink hair was spread out on the pillow around her. Her chest moved slowly as she breathed deeply in her sleep. There was enough moonlight that Ikuto could see it tracing slowly over her pale flesh. Hungrily, he ate up the sight as his eyes bore into her form.

Try as he might, Ikuto couldn't keep his eyes from returning to the column of her throat. Her pulse was steadily beating; her dreams were nothing remarkable. Ikuto could feel his fangs against his lips as he stood there watching her. A taste. He wanted just a taste.

Without realizing that he was moving, Ikuto found himself in her room, hovering over Amu. His cool breath fawned over her warm neck in the dark of the night. All he needed to do was lean a little bit closer and he'd be able to sink his teeth into her flesh.

Trying with all that he had, Ikuto held himself steady. He didn't want to devour her. His brain was screaming at him to get back, but he couldn't move. How could he leave her when her blood was calling out to him? Ikuto was held in place as a heartbeat that was clearly not his own sounded loud in his ears. For a moment, he felt as though his own heart was beating once again.

Letting out a slow sigh, Ikuto leaned the rest of the way down. He did not pierce with his teeth, but let his tongue move slowly across her skin. The movement was slight so that he wouldn't wake her.

The taste of her flesh on his tongue was better than he'd thought it would be. The flavor seemed to travel through his body at a high speeds. The sensation pooled for a moment in his gut before rushing out his mouth in the form of a low moan. Ikuto had known from the moment he saw her that he had to have her by his side. In that moment, he knew he would not live beyond her lifespan if she chose a different life.

This time, as Ikuto bent forward, he scrapped his teeth every so carefully against the spot he'd licked. A small scratch was left behind due to his fangs being extremely sharp. He lapped at the blood until the wound began to close itself up. Amu would have a light mark from Ikuto's little tasting session. He doubted anyone else would see it.

Turning away from the girl on the bed, Ikuto made his way towards the door. It wasn't until the air of the night was diluting Amu's scent did he turn around. Golden eyes stared at him from across the room. Clothed in shadows, Ikuto knew he had nothing to fear. She was looking, but she couldn't see that it was him.

Still, he lifted his hand. With their eyes connected, Ikuto erased the memory of her seeing him from her mind.

XXX

Yaya couldn't find Rima. She didn't bother to look for Utau. Throughout the previous night and all through the day she'd thought about what the others had said about this new human coming and taking their place as Ikuto's wife. To be honest, Yaya didn't want to be the one chosen. She wasn't entirely certain why she was a bride in the first place.

Still, she didn't want the other two to be living without purpose. With that thought in mind, Yaya made her way out of her master's castle and towards the house that sat nearby. The trees flashed by her as she raced her way through them. The night was well on its way to becoming morning.

Sounds of someone else being in the trees made Yaya slow down. She wasn't certain as to who was there, but she could hear someone. They weren't exactly being quiet. Yaya knew she'd be able to find them easily.

The smell was the first thing she found. It invaded her senses even after she stopped breathing. The scent clouded her mind, making Yaya move as though she wasn't in control of her body. It brought her closer and closer to whoever else was out in the night.

A light shone through the trees. The male that was holding it didn't seem to be lost or frightened. Yaya thought that he should be. There was no telling what was lurking just outside the light of his lantern.

Cocking her head to the side, Yaya watched the other. He seemed to be moving with purpose. It wasn't until he spoke to himself that he vampire understood that he was out in the forest looking for someone.

"Nagihiko, where could you have gone?"

Slowly, Yaya entered the light of the lantern. Unfortunately for the male carrying it, she was behind him. His scent was delicious. She could feel it sitting on her tongue. Yaya wanted to devour him. "Yaya wants to know what you are doing."

Turning around slowly, the male lifted his light to see the girl that didn't stand far behind him. His heart began to beat a fraction faster, though his face remained calm. "I'm looking for my friend. He seems to have disappeared. I'm Kairi. What are you doing out here?"

Yaya turned her head towards the direction of the Hotori estate. The girl that was there didn't seem as important to her as this sweet smelling Kairi was "Yaya was going to run an errand, but not anymore."

"Do you need help?"

Looking back at the stranger, Yaya let a small smile come onto her face. The male was worried about her when he should have been worried about himself. "No."

Kairi didn't move backwards as the girl approached him. There was no need for him to be afraid. He had his katana strapped at his hip. It was easily reachable if he thought he needed it. He definitely wouldn't need it for such a cute looking girl. "I'll take you to wherever you need to go. It is dark in the woods at night. I'd hate for you to get lost."

The light didn't make a difference to Yaya. With or without it she could see perfectly clearly. Only the human needed it. "Yaya doesn't need a lantern, but Yaya wants you."

Kairi's hand never made it to the hilt of his katana as the girl's form pinned him to the earth with incredible strength. The lantern fell and was smashed. The flame went out quickly. Kairi's mouth fell open into a scream that would never sound as sharp teeth pierced his skin.

XXX

Yaya stood in her private rooms looking at the dirty male on her bed. It wouldn't do to leave him dirty, but it wouldn't be long until he was awake again. Then he could clean himself. Of course, when he woke up he'd be stronger than he was as a human. Now that Yaya had given him some of her blood, she knew that the male turning into a vampire on her bed would be much more capable than he was in the woods.

Leaving her room, Yaya went in search of her master. The dawn was breaking over the horizon, but Yaya knew where to step so that she'd remain out of the rays that slipped in through the windows. Not a single beam touched her.

Ikuto didn't glance at her when she entered the room. Yaya knew that he knew that she'd been coming. She also knew that he could smell blood on her. "Ikuto should know that Yaya doesn't want to be his bride."

Sighing, Ikuto turned from his papers to look at the other girl. He'd known for quite a while that Yaya had little interest in him. It was why he didn't take her as his wife. They would never work out. "I know."

"Then release Yaya."

"Why?"

Keeping her head up, Yaya didn't meet Ikuto's eyes, but she didn't cower either. This wasn't something she was going to let him have a decision in. She'd already made up her mind. "Yaya found a new mate. Release Yaya so she can be with Kairi."

Ikuto didn't know who Kairi was, but he didn't particularly care to know. "Where did you meet Kairi, Yaya?"

Ikuto wasn't mad. He wasn't screaming at her or trying to hit her. Yaya allowed for her eyes to meet him. "Yaya found Kairi in the woods looking for a Nagihiko."

Without a doubt in his mind, Ikuto figured that Nagihiko was probably the newly born vampire in his basement. The one that Rima had brought home with her. If that was the case then the male that Yaya had found was also from the Hotori estate. That information didn't really bother Ikuto. Not when he felt as though he was taking everything away from that family. "Where is Kairi?"

The question let hope flood in Yaya's veins. There was still a chance that Ikuto would decide to kill her and the young vampire that she was creating, but Yaya wasn't as worried about that anymore. "Yaya put him in her room."

Nodding once, Ikuto turned back to the papers at his desk. "You are released, Yaya. You are no longer my bride. See to it that he knows the rules or I shall be forced to make his life as a vampire rather short."

Yaya felt numb for a few seconds before she bowed and moved out of the room. Before she got down the hallway, she turned her face slightly to the side. She knew that she didn't have to turn around or speak loud for Ikuto to hear what she was going to say. "I'm not sorry."

Smiling down at his work, Ikuto shook his head just once. There was a reason that he'd kept Yaya around for so long even if they were never going to be together in that way. Her childlike openness about what she was feeling was refreshing compared to the other two scheming girls. "Nor am I. Don't make me be."

Down the hallway faster than she'd been planning to go, Yaya ignored the wisps of burnt skin coming off her hand and leg as she moved too close to the light. The small marks would heal quickly. They'd be gone by the time she got back to her room to watch as Kairi became something that wasn't human. He'd become someone she could spend all of eternity with.

.

Morg: So that's how Kairi joins the picture.

Ikuto: Blah Blah Blah

Amu: You licked me while I was sleeping.

Morg: Do you think he hasn't before?

Ikuto: I'm going to choose not to comment on that.

Amu: Dear Lord.

Morg: ;D


	5. Chapter 5

Morg: Heyo! We're getting close to the end of this one, too.

Ikuto: How is that possible?

Amu: This is only like the fifth chapter.

Morg: This was never intended to be a long story. Be grateful for what you get.

Ikuto: Whatever.

Amu: It isn't like you own us. We don't have to be anything.

Morg: I need new friends.

Ikuto: We aren't your friends.

**~Vampire Heart~**

"Where am I?"

Rima glared over at the male across the room from her. Part of her had been so anxious that he wouldn't wake up. The rest of her sort of didn't want him to. This male had gotten her in trouble with Ikuto. She was no longer a bride and now had a young vampire she had to take care of and teach. Rima didn't particularly feel like being nice at the moment. "In a basement."

Sitting up, Nagihiko rubbed at his head for only a moment before his eyes snapped over to the girl sitting across the room staring at him. She was petite and beautiful, but he hadn't forgotten how dangerous she was. "Are we leaving the basement soon?"

Crossing her arms over her chest, Rima raised her chin so that she could look down on the vampire that was getting to his feet. She knew that he was still feeling a little light headed. He would until he properly fed. The amount of blood that she'd given him from his wrist had been enough to turn him but not much more than that. "Once we go over the rules."

"Am I your slave now?" Nagihiko didn't stop to think about why he sort of hoped that she was going to say yes to his question. Instead, he just moved closer to the seated girl. She was so beautiful. He wanted to take a bite out of her. "I don't know if I'd mind being a slave to such a beautiful lady."

Scoffing, Rima held up her hand. It was a silent command, but Nagihiko instantly froze. She knew that she had control of him and his body because it was her blood that was flowing within his veins. "I'm your master now, Nagihiko."

"My master?"

Rima ignored how heat seemed to flare in her cold belly at the sight of the other vampire licking his lips while he was looking at her. "Yes, I am a vampire and I turned you into a vampire. That means that I control you. You will do what I say. You belong to me."

Running his tongue over his sharp teeth, Nagihiko found that the girl wasn't lying to him. His teeth were sharp fangs. It also explained his want to bite her. Nagi also couldn't find it in him to hate the idea of belonging to his new mistress. "I don't think there is anywhere else I want to belong."

Ignoring the young vampire yet again, Rima moved to get off the spot she was sitting. "You better listen well because I'm not going to repeat myself. My name is Rima, but you may call me master."

Nagi felt like he didn't need to point out that he was going to be hanging off her every word.

XXX

Utau was fuming. Rima had failed. Yaya had barely even tried. Now both of them were with new vampires and were no longer brides. She was the only one left. Utau wasn't going to let some pink haired bitch take what was hers. Ikuto was her master.

The sun had barely set. Some of its rays still arched up over the horizon, but Utau paid them no mind as she moved through the twilight. This girl. This Amu was going to die. Utau didn't care if Ikuto didn't speak to her for more than a century. The girl wasn't going to be his wife and Utau was going to make certain of it.

The vampire knew that Ikuto hadn't left the manor yet. The older male hadn't thought that she'd leave so early to strike if that was her plan. Utau didn't care if she had to murder everyone within the household, she wasn't going to let Amu take what was hers.

Not bothering to stay quiet or hidden, Utau burst out of the tree line. There wasn't anyone out in the lingering light of the quickly dimming day. The house loomed in the growing dark but Utau wasn't at all intimidated by it. The building was only a building. She was a vampire. And not just a vampire, but a bride of Dracula himself. Though Ikuto liked to be called Ikuto. His name changed from time to time but he didn't.

Purposefully, Utau moved towards the front door. She would have made it inside to start her massacre if someone hadn't called out to her as she got closer to the front steps.

"Can I help you, miss?"

Turning, Utau didn't hesitate to bare her fangs and jump at the male a good distance away from her. Tackling the man to the ground, Utau dug her fangs into his neck. Her goal was to kill him quickly and get back to getting into the house to kill everyone else.

However, once she tasted his blood, Utau couldn't pull back. She couldn't stop drinking it. Out of all the years that she'd been alive nothing had ever tasted this good. Without hesitation, Utau sat in the middle of the front walk of the Hotori mansion and drained one of the workers of his blood.

Standing off in the shadows, Ikuto watched his last bride disgrace herself completely. He moved forward silently without her knowledge until he was standing over her just as she was finishing off the last drops of the male's blood. "You will turn him."

Shocked, Utau backed away from the human she had just killed. "I don't want to."

"Yes, you do."

The feeling was there. The feeling that she should do as Ikuto said and turn the human to be one of the undead rather than just dead. He'd been so tasty that she'd lost all of her control. "I don't understand this."

Scoffing, Ikuto crossed his arms over his chest as he stared down at the blood covered bride before him. "You know, Rima and Yaya both found mates at this estate, too."

"What do you mean, too? I haven't found anything!"

Chuckling, Ikuto just gave the girl a disbelieving look before shaking his head again. "Utau, I release you. You are no longer my bride. Claim this man. You couldn't stop yourself from taking his life. That means something."

Utau felt a scream building in her throat. She didn't let it loose. Ikuto wouldn't have been happy with her if she did. Instead, she picked up the male she didn't know and took him back to Ikuto's mansion to do what her master told her to do. She was no longer his bride, but Ikuto had still created her.

Turning from the bloody spot at the front of the house, Ikuto moved towards the doors. It was early enough in the evening that everyone within the house would still be awake. He could just knock and get in that way, but Ikuto didn't particularly want to talk to everyone. He just wanted to see Amu.

Instead of entering through the front door, Ikuto took an alternate route by entering through Amu's balcony like he had the night before. He wasn't surprised to see her sitting at her vanity. The girl was looking into the mirror.

The part that made Ikuto smirk was the fact that she wasn't looking at her face but rather, Amu was studying her neck. Ikuto knew the mark he'd made was mostly invisible. That and he'd erased her memory of seeing him there. Still, she knew that something had happened.

Leaning against the far wall, Ikuto let his eyes wander over Amu's figure once more before making his presence known. "Why is such a beautiful creature such as yourself worried about your looks? I can assure you that they are still magnificent."

Amu knew that she should have been startled to suddenly have someone speaking to her in her room. Especially because it was a male. Even more so because that male was Tsukiyomi Ikuto. A particular neighbor that Tadase had asked her to stay away from even though the male had come to mend the rift between the two families. "I was hardly looking at my features."

"I noticed."

Turning to look at the male near her open balcony doors, Amu let her eyes slid to the night that was beyond them before looking back at Ikuto. "You came in that way?"

Shrugging as he pushed off the wall, Ikuto moved a few steps closer to the seated woman before stopping. "I wanted to speak with you, not the master of this house."

Lifting herself to her feet, Amu faced the intruder with curiosity rather than apprehension. Ever since meeting the man that stood before her, Amu couldn't help but want to know more about him. "Speak with me about what?"

Smiling slightly, Ikuto lifted out a hand before bowing to the woman before him. "Would you do me the honor of taking a walk with me?"

Giggling a bit at the sudden display of chivalry, Amu kept her hand to herself as she looked around the male before her. "And we are to get outside without the others of the house noticing?"

"Ah, we will go out the way that I came in."

Smiling in return, Amu took the hand of the count. She gasped but laughed as he pulled her close to his chest before they were suddenly moving through the air. Am felt a bit dizzy for only a few seconds before they were standing on the firmness of the dirt just below her window. "You're going to have to tell me how you do that."

Tucking the pinkette's hand into the crook of his arm, Ikuto smirked before leading her away from the house. "Another time, perhaps."

Amu smiled in response but didn't push for more than what the other male was willing to tell her at the moment. Instead, she allowed him to lead her into the darkness of the trees and away from the light seeping out of the house's windows. Amu wasn't going to admit it, but she quite preferred the darkness of the woods to the house she'd just left.

After walking further into the trees, Ikuto glanced down at the woman on his arm. He could hear her heart beating. From the moment she'd become aware of him, the pace of the organ had only sped up slightly. Now it was back to beating quite normally. Amu trusted him.

Leading them around a tree, Ikuto held some branches out of Amu's way so that they wouldn't scratch her skin. If she started bleeding now then he might not be able to hold back. "The wedding is tomorrow, is it not?"

Sighing, Amu couldn't help but frown. She hoped Ikuto couldn't see it through the darkness that surrounded them. "It is."

"You don't sound as excited as I imagine a bride should be."

Wincing a bit, Amu gave a light shrug of her shoulders before glancing to look up at Ikuto. It was hard to see the features of his face due to the lack of light, but his eyes seemed to shine through the night. "It is an arranged marriage. My family wants it more than I do. Tadase is an honorable man, but I feel as though I am not meant to be his wife."

Ikuto definitely agreed to that. Amu did not belong with that low life human. She belonged to the race of the immortals. Her beauty was one that should never fade. "But you will marry him."

It wasn't a question, but Amu figured she should answer it. "I don't have another choice."

"I could give you one."

They stopped. Amu didn't notice it at first, but they were no longer walking anywhere. They were just standing in the darkness beneath the trees. "Run away with you rather than stay with Tadase?"

Ikuto could hear the humor that was tainting her voice. She wasn't taking him seriously. "It wouldn't really be running. I mean, I do live like right over there. But yes. Come and be with me rather than that human."

Still amused, Amu couldn't help the small smile on her face. "That human? I am human, too. So are you."

Chuckling, Ikuto released his hold on her hand so that it fell from his arm. He figured he would need to put a little bit of distance between them if he wanted her to feel safe rather than threatened. "I am no human. I haven't been human for a very long time."

Amu was no longer smiling. "If you are not human then what are you?"

Shifting on his feet, Ikuto looked over at the girl with him in the woods. Her heart was hardly beating faster than it had before. It was clear that he wasn't really scaring her. Though he could hear a second heart beat echoing through the trees. Someone had followed them. "Surely, you know the stories of Count Dracula."

"Ah, yes," Amu couldn't help but give a throaty laugh as she spoke. "The vampire. Are you also a vampire? Is it a count thing?"

Taking a step closer, Ikuto felt his fangs slide out to be well seen by the girl he was facing. He heard her breath hitch and her heart beat just a bit faster at the sight of them gleaming against his lips. "No, I am Count Dracula. Every so many years I find it easier to just change my name."

Standing there looking at the man before her that Amu knew now to not be a man, the pinkette swallowed. "Are you going to kill me now?"

Chuckling a bit, Ikuto took another step closer to the girl before him. She wasn't running from him. None of his previous brides had been so brave when he revealed himself to them. "I just offered to make you mine. Why would I kill you?"

Amu shuddered when cold hands closed around her upper arms. She looked up into Ikuto's eyes but didn't see malice or contempt. If anything, he looked worried that she would reject him. "Then what are you planning to do now?"

Smirking, Ikuto leaned a bit closer so that their faces were just a breath a part. "I would very much like to kiss you."

Staring up into those gleaming blue eyes, Amu didn't let the vampire kiss her. She kissed him.

.

Morg: Boom.

Ikuto: I'm okay with that.

Amu: What is even happening?

Morg: Everything that is good in this world.

Ikuto: Straight up.

Amu: I just can't agree.

Morg: You don't have to! My readers will!

Ikuto: Damn straight!


	6. Chapter 6

Morg: Heyo! Please let this be a reminder that I am the author!

Ikuto: How is anyone supposed to forget that?

Amu: Why are you reminding us?

Morg: Because some people seem to think they know better than I do about how to write my story.

Ikuto: Maybe they do.

Amu: I mean, you don't own anything.

Morg: I own this plot and I own the right to write it as I see fit.

Ikuto: Whatever.

**~Vampire Heart~**

Tadase was completely enraged. His anger clouded his judgment, causing him to storm out of his place in the shadow of a tree and into the small clearing that his bride was kissing another man in. "How dare you!?"

Pulling back from the kiss, Ikuto licked his lips as he looked down at the foolish human. "It seems our private meeting is no longer in private."

Gasping, Amu stepped back from Ikuto. "Tadase!"

Glaring at the male, Tadase moved forward until he could put himself between Ikuto and Amu. "You are a beast and a scoundrel. Don't think to come near my Amu again."

"She is hardly yours." Ikuto couldn't help his smug look as he stared at the puny human before him. It would be far too easy for him to end the annoying man's life. The line of the Hotori's would finally be ended. "Amu is her own person. She has every right to kiss whom she wishes."

"I know what you are, you monster! I shall drive a stake through your heart if you dare touch my Amu again!"

Ikuto quickly felt his humor draining away. It didn't bother him at all that Tadase knew he was a vampire, or thought a stake would kill him. It was the problem of the human continuing to refer to Amu as his. "You are a silly and stupid human if you think you'd ever be able to harm me."

Breathing slowly, Tadase forced himself to remain calm. It was difficult for him to do in the face of such evil, but he had to protect his bride. "I command you to leave. You are not welcome here."

Smirking now, Ikuto bowed to the two humans before him, though his eyes stayed on Amu. "Since I have already delivered my message, I will not hold you any longer. Good night."

Amu felt shudders running up and down her spine as suddenly Ikuto disappeared. Throughout the entire ordeal of discovering what he truly was, Amu found that she hadn't been frightened of him. He was a creature of the night, though he could be out in the daylight, too. That bit was sort of confusing since he was a vampire, but he did say that he was Count Dracula, so maybe that had something to do with it. Amu wasn't sure, but she figured she would eventually find out.

"Come on. We'll return to the house where it is safe."

Shaken out of her thoughts, Amu's eyes widened as she realized that Tadase was still there with her. Her mind was so caught up on Ikuto. He seemed so lonely. Like his heart matched hers. Like they belonged together forever. "What?"

Turning in the darkness, Tadase tried to get a clear view of Amu's face. His fiancé had been kissed by a vampire. There was no telling what had been done to her mind by that foul creature. "I will keep you safe, Amu. We will wed tomorrow and then I'll make certain that that _thing_ doesn't touch you ever again."

Following the tug of her hand, Amu allowed Tadase to lead her back to the manor. Somehow, she felt that it was not the place that she was supposed to go to, but there wasn't another place for her to go. So she allowed him to take her back there.

"I should have staked him when I had the chance to surprise him. Don't worry, Amu, I won't let him near you again."

Despite all the muttering and mumbling that Tadase was doing, Amu wasn't really listening. Her mind was going over what had just happened. Part of her didn't really believe it. Maybe she was in shock. Ikuto was a vampire. Not just any vampire but like the king of vampires if the lore was correct. On top of that, he wanted to take her away.

The marriage that Amu was about to enter with Tadase had been arranged by their parents. It wasn't something that she had sought out. From knowing the man still taking her back to the lit up manor that they could now see through the trees, Amu understood that her future with him would never hold love. Tadase only saw her as a possession. A wife was another thing that he could claim as his to boast to the people that he met.

Ikuto, on the other hand, had claimed right there in the darkness of the night and forest that Amu was her own person to do as she wished. He would never see her as something to own, but as a companion. Could she still go through with the marriage that her family expected her to be happy about when she knew a better life was out there?

It wasn't until she was back in her room and Tadase was hooking a cross necklace around her neck that Amu realized that if Ikuto had thought of her as something to take or own then he would have just done so. He was a vampire. A very powerful one that could kill with just the flick of his wrist. She'd seen his fangs and knew that his claims were true. Still, he hadn't forced anything upon her. He'd even asked before kissing her. If Ikuto was truly the monster that Tadase was claiming him to be, then he wouldn't have been so kind to her in the days that she'd known him. If he was a greedy-blood-sucking-monster then she would have already been dead or forced to be his bride. If anyone was forcing anything upon Amu, it was Tadase.

Those thoughts floated around in her brain as Amu laid down in her bed and stared up at the dark ceiling. After a while, she must have fallen asleep. She didn't remember doing so, but she did dream about leaving through the window again and never returning.

Tadase roamed the halls of his manor, spreading garlic and making sure that there were crosses hanging throughout the house. There was no way that he was going to let a vampire near his fiancé again. If the monster tried anything, Tadase would kill him. Though he did sort of wish he knew where three of his servants had disappeared to.

XXX

"Where am I?"

Glaring at the male on the floor in the corner of her room, Utau wished she hadn't done exactly what Ikuto had told her to do. "You're in my room and I'd rather you not be. So shut up if you would like to continue to be here and not thrown out into the sunlight."

Groaning, Kukai rubbed his head before looking around himself. Everything felt different, though he wasn't sure how it was different. The girl before him looked familiar, but he wasn't sure why. "Who are you?"

Hissing, Utau turned to look away from the male slowly getting up from the floor. She knew that if he was still human then his body would be in pain considering she'd practically thrown him where he was after she gave him some of her blood. Since he was now a vampire, he felt no pain and she felt no guilt. "I told you to not speak."

Smiling a bit sheepishly, Kukai looked around the room before his eyes went back to the girl. She seemed to be sucking her towards him even though he knew that she was clearly upset with him. For what, he didn't know. "You are the only one here and I don't know where here is. I sort of need to know."

Snapping her eyes back to the male vampire's face, Utau didn't show any humor or softness when addressing the male that looked so confused before her. "You don't _need_ anything but to feed. The rest are things that you want."

"Feed?"

Getting to her feet, Utau moved incredibly fast across her rather large room. The sun was high in the sky. Her new vampire had woken earlier than she thought that he would. "You are like me now. I am your master. You are a vampire and will live off the blood of others for eternity."

The words sunk in. Kukai was not going to deny that they frightened him. His fear, however, did not last very long. "Eternity with you?"

Squaring up to stare at the male's face, Utau let her fangs show. "You have a problem with that?"

Looking the female vampire before him up and down, Kukai did his best to hide his smile. "No, I don't have any sort of problem with that."

It may have been the way that he was looking at her, or it could have been the words that he said, but Utau found herself more annoyed by the new vampire's presence. Only now it was because she sort of liked him. "Good. Now, we're going to have to feed from what we have stored here. You can't go out into the sun anymore. Not unless you want to die."

He'd miss the sun. Kukai had no doubt in his mind about that. But he wasn't going to deny that he was quite looking forward to the dark if it meant getting to stay with this girl. He didn't even know her name, but he was strangely okay with being with her. "Lead the way to the feast. I do feel rather thirsty."

If she could have, Utau would have left the new vampire in her room. She knew that both Rima and Yaya were in the kitchen with their young vampires so that they could also feed. Taking hers was only going to start up conversations that she would rather not have. Still, they had to go. "Fine, but don't speak at all."

Kukai knew he wasn't going to follow that order. He just wasn't going to tell her that.

XXX

Amu sat before her vanity mirror. This time she wasn't even looking at herself in the reflection. She was just staring ahead. Everything was happening around her. Maids were readying the dress that she was supposed to put on soon. Another had fixed up her hair and done her makeup. Other preparations were being done to the rest of the house to ready for the wedding. Guests were starting to arrive. And through all of it, Amu noticed nothing.

Her chest seemed to ache, though she didn't know the cause of it. The night before seemed as if it were a dream. Amu knew that it wasn't. She dearly hoped that it wasn't. She wasn't sure if Ikuto had meant his offer, but she kept looking towards the balcony to see if he was going to come for her. She'd never accepted it. A fact that made her worry.

Entering the room, Tadase glanced around to see Amu glancing at the balcony before looking back at the mirror. She was clearly worried and afraid. "I want all the servants out."

"But sir, that is highly improper."

"Out!"

Amu didn't move at all as the ladies left the room with a slight bow towards the master of the house. She didn't want to see or speak to Tadase. The ache in her chest worsened with his presence.

Moving across the room, Tadase moved to sit on the top of the dresser before Amu's chair. He gathered up her hands and made her look up at him. "Amu, my bride, I won't let that thing come and get you. I can see that you are frightened, but there is nothing to be frightened of. Soon we will be going to the chapel set up on the grounds. He cannot enter that area. You will be safe until we are wed and then he'll have no interest in you any longer."

The words were supposed to soothe her. Amu knew that Tadase was saying them in an attempt to be kind to her. However, they only made her pain and anxiousness worsen. If anything, Amu wanted to jerk away from the man before her and run out into the woods. Amu didn't know if she wanted to be with Ikuto or even if she was under some sort of spell like Tadase said she was, but she did know that she did not want to marry the man before her.

"Now," Tadase said with a smile as he stood. "Let me get out of here so that you can get changed. The ceremony is starting soon."

For as much as she didn't want to get married. Amu felt like she had no other choice. It was a terrible feeling.

.

Morg: So there we are.

Ikuto: Like I would let her marry that idiot.

Amu: I would be perfectly happy with Tadase.

Morg: Nope.

Ikuto: Not happening!

Amu: Oh come on!


	7. Chapter 7

Morg: Heyo! Since we're getting closer and closer to the end of this story, I just can't seem to stop writing it.

Ikuto: I really doubt anyone is complaining about that.

Amu: I am.

Morg: So I'll probably have the last few chapters up sometime soon.

Ikuto: Again, not a problem.

Amu: But you suck at updating.

Morg: I'm updating this right now, aren't I?

Ikuto: Good point.

Amu: Well, you don't own anything so it doesn't matter.

**~Vampire Heart~**

There were far too many vampires in his house. And yet, at the same time, there weren't enough. The one that Ikuto wanted to be there wasn't. Amu hadn't accepted his proposal the night before. That could have been because they were rudely interrupted, but she hadn't seemed put out by the fact that Tadase had shown up.

This being the case, Ikuto sulked into his kitchen, though he'd never admit that that was what he was doing. He had to eat like the rest of them. "Move."

Utau looked up from where she was helping Kukai stick a straw into the bag of blood that she'd given the newborn vampire. It wasn't rare to see Ikuto in a bad mood, but this was far too foul for the vampire. "What's the matter with you?"

Scowling, Ikuto tried to ignore her as he rooted through the fridge for anything left that was his type of blood. "Nothing."

Rima wasn't about to let that be the only response that Ikuto gave. It was clear that something was wrong. "Spit it out."

Hissing, Ikuto glared over at the blonde. It was clear to him now that coming into the kitchen was a bad idea. Utau, Rima and Yaya were all squaring up to face him. This had only happened twice before and both times he'd given in to whatever it was that they'd wanted.

Kairi was quick to place himself just behind Yaya's shoulder in case he needed to protect her. Though from what she'd told him about Ikuto, Kairi knew that he wasn't going to be able to do much if the other vampire wished his death.

Sighing, Ikuto sunk into a chair at the table and played with his blood bag for a few seconds before hissing again. "Sit."

The girls were quick to respond and get into the chairs across from their master. Ikuto might have released them but he'd still created them. They had to do what he wanted. Their young vampires stayed just behind them since there weren't enough chairs in the kitchen area for everyone.

Taking a deep drink, Ikuto stalled for time. This was a conversation that he didn't want to have. Finally, he licked his lips before looking up at the girls. "Amu didn't agree last night."

"Amu-chan? You went to see Tadase's bride?"

Utau turned to smack Kukai before looking back at Ikuto. "Tell us what happened."

Scowling again because it was more of a command than a request, Ikuto relented and retold the events of the night before. He was thankful that everyone remained quiet as he did so.

Sitting back in her chair, Yaya let out a sigh. She was grateful for Kairi's hand on her shoulder. It showed her that he cared for her.

Rima, on the other hand, had a different reaction. "So go back down there right now and get her answer."

Looking over to the short girl, Ikuto let one of his eyebrows rise. "What makes you think that she'll give me a good answer now since she didn't last night?"

Mimicking the look that she was being given, Rima ignored the nudge she received from her slave. Nagihiko could nudge himself somewhere if he didn't agree with what she was doing. "What makes you think she's going to say no?"

Leaning forward, Utau tapped her knuckles against the table. "You did say that she kissed you back."

Crossing his arms over his chest, Ikuto leaned back in his chair while looking down at the floor of the kitchen. They would have had this meeting in the dining room if the sun hadn't been up. The room was just too bright for the other six vampires during the day. Still, he was grateful for the coziness of the kitchen for this talk, even if it annoyed him that they had to have it. "She did."

"You know," Kukai said slowly. It made him nervous that everyone was looking at him. "Amu-chan has never looked like she wanted to be with Tadase."

Utau was pleased to hear that Kukai wasn't linking any respectful terms to Tadase's name. That git didn't deserve respect.

Sighing again, Ikuto knew that the others meant well, but he just didn't think it was going to work out how he'd wished it would.

Hitting her hand against the table, Rima ignored how Nagi wrapped his arms around her shoulders as if to block her from any blows. She allowed him to hang onto her, but she didn't let him stop her from saying what she felt needed to be said. "Are you or are you not the first vampire?"  
Frowning at the blonde, Ikuto nodded his head. "I am."

"And you think Amu is meant to be with you, right?"

"Yes."

Leaning back in her chair, Rima ignored Nagi again as the male changed his stance so that he was still sort of protecting her but also just hugging her. "That's strange. I thought being the first vampire meant that you weren't a total idiot."

Hissing again, Ikuto bared his fangs as he got to his feet. "I'm no idiot!"

"Then prove it by going down there and making sure that Amu doesn't want to be with you rather than that thing."

Without responding, Ikuto moved towards the door. He had half a mind to punch a hole through the ceiling just to make them all scramble for the safety of the shadows. The only reason he didn't was because he didn't want to have to eventually fix it.

Snickering, Utau winked at Rima. "Don't forget to wait for the priest to ask if anyone objects before you go barging in!"

Giggling, Yaya got up from her chair in excitement. "Yaya says to make it romantic when you sweep her off her feet!"  
Ikuto heard them despite the distance he'd put between himself and the others. They'd pay for their comments later. For now, Ikuto had to make certain that he got his wife.

XXX

Standing in the back of the church, Amu fidgeted with her bouquet of flowers. The ceremony was about to begin. It was about to begin and Amu wanted to be anywhere else in the world. No, that wasn't true. There was someone specifically that she wanted to be, but it was quickly becoming clear that she wasn't ever going to be there.

The music started. Amu had no choice but to take her father's arm and let him guide her down the aisle. People were looking at her and smiling. Try as she might, Amu couldn't get herself to smile back at them. Everything was so wrong.

She was handed off to Tadase and the priest began speaking. Amu couldn't hear him. All she could hear was the blood rushing through her veins and the sound of her own breaths. They were coming far too fast and strong. She was going to faint if she couldn't relax somehow.

Then again, maybe fainting wasn't such a bad idea. It would get her out of the wedding that day. Or at least for a while longer.

The church doors slammed open. A wind swept hard through the church, throwing some people to the floor or into pews.

Tadase turned to see what had happened, but barely got his mouth open before he was being carried by an invisible force and held against the wall above the altar.

Ikuto stood in the middle of aisle looking up at Amu. She was beautiful in her gown. Truly gorgeous, but she was marrying the wrong man. "I will ask you once more, Amu."

For the first time since the night before, Amu felt her mind clear. Ikuto was standing before her. He didn't speak beyond his first words. Instead, he held the hand that he wasn't already holding up to keep Tadase pinned in place out for her. He was asking her if she wanted to go with him. He was giving her a choice.

A choking sound came from Tadase's throat as he tried to call out to his bride. He couldn't make any more of a sound than that. Amu was going to be stolen from him and no one in the church was going to try and stop Ikuto.

Hesitating for only a second, Amu turned back to look at Tadase. His eyes were pleading for her to turn the vampire away. Returning her gaze to Ikuto, Amu smiled before going down the steps and rushing to the vampire. He'd come back for her and she wasn't going to let him leave her again.

Taking Amu into his arms, Ikuto released Tadase from the wall. Ikuto tugged the cross necklace from Amu's neck and held it up so that he could see it clearly. Smirking, he threw it to the ground before pulling Amu to him. Again, he didn't lean all the way to kiss her, but allow for her to meet him. She did.

Whisking the girl in his arms from the church, Ikuto returned them to his manor. Bypassing the others, Ikuto takes Amu to his private rooms. He can still hear the others. They know Amu is there. They can smell her still pumping blood. They are happy for him. Ikuto ignores them all.

The pinkette, once released from Ikuto's hold, looked around the room. Everything was kept cleaner than she thought that it would. "You don't sleep in a coffin?"  
Smirking, Ikuto leaned against the wall. "I have one downstairs. It's in the basement and full of grave dirt, but no, I don't usually sleep in it. Too messy."

Amu had to wonder how much she knew from the lore was true and how much was made up.

Pushing off from where he was leaning, Ikuto moved to stand before Amu again. "You are not frightened?"

Looking up at the tall male, Amu couldn't help but smile. "You gave me a choice, Ikuto. You asked if I would come with you. I don't know if you would have let me stay if I refused, but something tells me you would have. If I refused you now, I feel that you would let me go."

Taking Amu's hands into his, Ikuto pulled the pinkette against him. She was right. He would never force her to do anything that she didn't want to do. "And do you want to leave?"

Looking down at their joined hands, Amu bit at her lip. Her gut had told her before that she definitely hadn't wanted to be with Tadase. Now that she was with Ikuto, she felt at home. "No, I don't believe that I do."

Using one hand to lift the girl's chin, Ikuto searched her eyes. "You know that he will not let me take you away from him so easily. Tadase will come here to find you."

Smiling, Amu nodded. "I'm sure of it."

"Do you wish to turn him away as a human or…?"

Smiling at the way that Ikuto was once again giving her another choice, Amu leaned up to wrap her free hand around the back of Ikuto's neck. She looked into his eyes before drawing him into another kiss. She hoped it conveyed her answer. The way he pulled her closer to himself told her that it had.

XXX

Furiously, Tadase called all the people into attendance before the front of the church. None of them had even tried to stop Ikuto from taking his Amu. He was going to get her back. "The man that was just here is not a man! He is a vampire and has put some sort of spell on Amu!"

His words made a lot of murmurs rise through the crowd before him. He knew that there would be those who doubted him. "Can you explain what he was able to do any other way? He is a vampire and a monster! We must save my Amu!"

At the back of the crowd, Ami moved back a few steps. The man in the church had looked at her sister with eyes that held a lot of concern and care. If she thought more on it, she would have said it was love. But Tadase did not look as someone that was eager to get back the girl he loved. He looked crazed and dangerous.

Slowly, Ami took her parents and pulled them away. She convinced them to leave with her. They would try to get in touch with Amu later. Ami promised them that.

With a group of men behind him, Tadase led the gang towards the Tsukiyomi estate. The sun was beginning to hang low in the evening sky, but it wasn't going to stop him from getting his bride back. Ikuto was going to die by his stake. Him and any other vampires they found.

.

Morg: I must say that I'm pleased with this story.

Ikuto: Why?

Amu: Please just end it soon.

Morg: Because it is turning out the way I wanted it to.

Ikuto: You are writing it.

Amu: Maybe she shouldn't be!

Morg: I hope you all like it, too!


	8. Chapter 8

Morg: Heyo! So here we are. At the end.

Ikuto: Already?

Amu: Thank the heavens!

Morg: There's an epilogue still but this is the last official chapter.

Ikuto: You better make it good.

Amu: Or you could just not write it at all.

Morg: Where's the fun in that?

Ikuto: I agree. Go for it.

Amu: Just as long as you remember that you don't own us.

Morg: Like you would let me forget it.

**~Vampire Heart~**

Amu felt as though she was on fire. Ikuto's every touch had her gasping and pleading for more. The pinkette had never known such pleasure. She writhed for more. Moaning and begging the male thrusting deep inside of her to take more of her.

Then, amongst all the pleasure and her falling apart mind, Amu felt Ikuto's fangs pierce her neck. Everything was heightened that much more by the touch. So much so that Amu felt her consciousness fading away as Ikuto sucked her blood while bringing her to completion.

Blinking, Amu looked up at the vampire above her. The last she saw was her own blood dripping from his lips. The sight made her shudder with desire before her world went dark.

XXX

Utau smirked from where she stood just inside the door of Ikuto's manor. The sun was setting. Soon the rays would be gone from the sky and she'd be free to enter out into the night air. It was a good thing, too, since she could smell all the men coming their way. "Looks like we'll be having guests."

Instantly, Kukai moved to the girl's side. There was something about Utau that just drew him towards her. How could he have lived so long near her without knowing that she was there? "I don't believe we were expecting guests."

Chuckling deep in her throat, Utau turned so that she could pat the young vampire's cheek. "No, but we shall meet them nonetheless."

Something inside Kukai's cold body heated up.

Rima, not overly happy that she was going to have to deal with humans, lazed on one of the couches in the front room. "What are we to do with them?"

_"Let Tadase in. The rest you may send home. Alive."_

Pouting a bit, Yaya crossed her arms over her chest. "Yaya wanted to taste them."

Swooping down to kiss the vampire's cheek, Kairi stayed close by so that he could put a smile back where he didn't want to see a frown. "We have plenty of blood already. Killing off the neighbors wouldn't be wise."

Nagihiko couldn't help but snort at that."

Utau turned back to face inside the house. Ikuto wasn't anywhere near them but they'd heard him just fine and he'd hear them in return. "Why Tadase?"

_"Amu and I have a surprise for him."_

The chuckles that followed those words made all the vampires near the front of the house shudder. It wasn't going to be a pleasant surprise. However, they were all going to make sure that Tadase received it.

Turning back to look outside, Utau bared her fangs as the sun finally disappeared behind the horizon. "Very well. We'll make sure he gets to you."

XXX

Tadase could tell that the men following him were losing heart the closer they got to Ikuto's manor. They were facing vampires, after all. Not to mention the sun was almost gone. But that was no reason to not fight back. He wouldn't allow them to just take his Amu away from him. "Come on, men! We're almost there! Let us be rid of these evil monsters!"

Some of the men still cheered with his words. They were tired already from just getting there by foot. The path hadn't been easy. It didn't help that they were all very much reluctant.

Sensing the mood, Tadase, turned to look back at them. "We can't stop now! First he takes Amu! Then he'll come after your wives, children and mothers! We cannot let this vampire live! He's a beast!"

A scoff broke through the night air before any of the men following Tadase had a chance to reply. It was followed by a giggle, though it was clear that they didn't come from the same person.

"You're first mistake," a voice called from somewhere in the night. "Was to think that Ikuto lived up here all alone."

That sentence alone had several men dropping their weapons and fleeing back for their homes. Certainly, they would be safer with their doors firmly locked.

More giggles were heard from the night. They were vicious and blood thirsty.

"Why, these men do look tasty. They have also come willingly into our domain."

Tadase couldn't help his frustration as two more of his followers took off into the night. If they kept abandoning him then he wouldn't be able to make it all the way to Amu. "Stay strong, men! These vampires are wicked creatures and cannot harm of us if we're true to God!"

Slipping out of the trees, Kukai stared at his old employer with his eyebrows raised. "I think my lady is wicked in many ways, but she is not evil."

Many of the remaining men began to mutter at the sight of the gardener. Kukai was well known in the area. He'd also disappeared.

"Kukai?" Tadase couldn't help but feel shocked to see the other male again. "What's happened to you?"

Suddenly appearing by the male's side, Utau hung her arms over Kukai's shoulders as she bared her fangs at the remaining men. "I happened."

Enjoying the feeling of Utau pressed against him, Kukai let out a deep chuckle. "My lady is quite fetching, don't you think?"

No one dared to answer that.

"You're lady?" Nagihiko couldn't help but scoff as he slipped from the trees. "It is my lady that is the true beauty of the night."

More of the men huddled together. Nagihiko was another they had thought was dead.

Rima appeared just as quickly as Utau had before. She didn't bother to stand behind Nagihiko-not because she was short and wouldn't be able to see anything-but instead stood just in front of him. She wasn't fazed at all when his arms wrapped around her shoulders to hold her to him. "The blood of young men always makes me feel more invigorated and younger."

The snarl in her voice caused one of the men to piss his pants. Another fainted.

"Yaya thinks it is always fun to play with her meal before she eats it."

"Now, Yaya," Kairi spoke with a wicked smile as he joined the female vampire in the small clearing so near to the manor. "You will frighten them too much and their blood will taste sour."

Pouting a bit, Yaya let her teeth gleam in the light of the torches that a few of the men still held. "I'm so hungry right now that it doesn't matter much if they taste good or not."

The sight of one of the best guards standing before them with the vampires made even more of the men take off into the woods. Tadase only had five left behind him. There was no way that they were going to make it to the manor to save Amu. He had to create some sort of distraction.

Squaring his shoulders, the male turned to the others. "Get them to chase you and I'll save Amu."

None of them looked as though they really liked the sound of his plan, but they didn't hesitate to run. Tadase was on his own.

Utau only chuckled as their guests disappeared into the night. As per Ikuto's instructions, they didn't try to stop Tadase from getting to the house. "That was far too easy."

Sniffing a bit, Rima flicked her hair back without dislodging Nagihiko from where he was against her. "I was looking forward to a bit more fun."

The others could only nod their heads in agreement before heading back towards the manor. They were all rather curious to see what sort of surprise was in store for Tadase.

XXX

Moving quickly through the house, Tadase searched for his stolen bride. He would not rest until Amu was safe and back with him and properly wed. There wasn't a doubt in his mind that the vampire wouldn't want Amu if she wasn't pure. Tadase would do what he must to protect her.

Flinging open yet another door, Tadase paused in his search. The vampire he was searching for was seated at the far side of the room on a small couch. With his stake grasped tightly in his hand, Tadase started forwards. "You will give her back to me."

Swirling the blood within his glass, Ikuto stared at the red color before lifting his gaze to see the male moving towards him. "Amu is her own person. She is free to choose where to go and who to be with."

"It was arranged for her to marry me!"

The rage in the other male's voice only made Ikuto chuckle. Tadase was a fool if he thought that anyone would ever be able to control Amu. After the afternoon that they'd just had, Ikuto was absolutely certain that she was the one he'd been waiting for during his rather long life. "Ah, but she has already agreed to being my wife. The wife of Dracula. Doesn't that sound lovely?"

Scoffing, Tadase used his rage to push away his fear. He would not abandon Amu to such a fate as to be forced along as a vampire's plaything. "She would never consent to such a thing!"

"No?" Ikuto couldn't help but raise his eyebrow as he stared at the human. "Why don't you ask her?"

Gliding out of a corner, Amu smiled over at Tadase before moving to join Ikuto where he was sitting. "Good evening, Tadase."

Staring at the girl as if he'd never seen her before, Tadase tried to see if Amu was still the same Amu from that morning. He didn't know what he was going to do if he was already too late. "Is what he said true?"

"So rude," Amu murmured before leaning over so that she was resting against Ikuto's shoulder. The other vampire turned to kiss her temple. Humming in satisfaction, Amu let her eyes open and return to the human before them. "You didn't even properly greet me back."

Tadase was not someone that was used to being refused. Never in his life had he not been given the things he wanted. To see the girl he'd handpicked to marry so close to another male set his blood on fire. It didn't matter that he was in a vampire's house and could easily be killed. Tadase was furious. "Are you his wife?"

Smirking now, Amu let her teeth gleam in the low light. "In every way except ceremony. Unlike you, Ikuto asked me. He didn't arrange a deal, he didn't ask my parents. He asked me. He gave me a choice and I picked him."

Making a content noise deep in his throat, Ikuto moved so that he was holding Amu in his arms. Nuzzling at her neck, he looked past the girl he was holding to stare at the human. "Do you understand it now? Amu is mine and I am hers."

Letting out a cry of rage, Tadase raised his stake before taking two steps forwards. "I won't let you have her! I will kill you both!"

Ikuto looked rather unamused as Tadase froze in the middle of the room. He'd thought he'd been rather clear earlier at the church that he was powerful enough to stop someone in their place without having to touch them. "Since Amu is my wife, she's inherited some of my powers. Would you like to see what she can do now, Tadase?"

Tadase couldn't move. He couldn't respond in any way except for to just stand there as he was with one foot raised in the air to take another step and a wooden stake above his head.

Still smirking, Ikuto kept his eyes on the human before them. "We could kill you, Tadase. With your own stake. In fact, I could make you do it yourself. Would you like that? Do you want to die tonight?"

A whimper escaped the frozen male in the middle of the room. It was clear to everyone present that it was a sound of fear.

"I do think he'd rather live."

The pout in Amu's voice had Ikuto smiling wickedly. "That doesn't mean we have to let him."

Turning, Amu pulled Ikuto into a rather fiery kiss. "How about this, you let him go home and if he ever comes back here or tells another soul about us, we'll kill him."

Humming, Ikuto leaned in to place a few more kisses to Amu's lips. He was never going to grow tired of the girl in his arms. Which was rather a good thing considering they were going to be living for a very long time. "We could do that. But he'd have to follow the rules or else he'll be killed."

Glancing back over her shoulder, Amu narrowed her eyes. "And not just him but his whole family would suffer for it."

"What a naughty thing to do, Amu. Punishing his whole family."

Shrugging, Amu turned back to Ikuto. "It's only if he can't follow the rules. So his family's fate rests on his shoulders. Their blood would be on his hands if he failed."

Leaning in for one more kiss, Ikuto pulled Amu until they were resting comfortably against the couch once more. He stole a few more kisses with Tadase watching before letting out another sigh. "As much as I'd like to get the point across that we are together and he doesn't stand a chance, I'd rather keep your pleasured face to myself."

Giggling at that, Amu moved so her mouth was close to Ikuto's ear. She ran her sharp teeth along it before tugging on the flesh. "Then get rid of him so I can show it only to you."

"Kairi!" Ikuto hadn't meant for the name to come out quite as high pitched as it had. Clearing his throat, he nodded to the vampire that suddenly appeared within the room.

"Please escort Tadase back to his manor. He knows the rules. If he tries to hurt you or any of the rest of us here, or speaks of this night to anyone then his life and the lives of his family are forfeit."

Nodding, Kairi moved to take Tadase's arm. "This way."

Finding himself able to move, Tadase followed the vampire that used to work for him out of the room. There were things that he wanted to say, but his throat didn't seem to allow any sound to pass through it. No doubt, it was the vampire's doing. He had no choice but to follow silently.

Turning back to the girl in his arms, Ikuto couldn't help but smile. "I think that went well."

"Do you think we frightened him enough?"

"You, my Amu, are quite the actress. I think for a moment there even I believed that you wanted to shred him to bits."

Smirking at the male beside her, Amu leaned forward to nuzzle against Ikuto's cheek. "For a moment, I did too."

Chuckling, Ikuto pulled his wife in for a kiss. "There will be plenty of time for us to hunt in the future. What kind of neighbors would we be if we ate Tadase?"

Laughing, Amu pulled so that Ikuto hovered over her on the couch. "The good kind."

Kissing the girl beneath him. Ikuto couldn't help but hum in agreement. Their life together was just starting, but he knew it was going to be a great one.

.

Morg: So that's that.

Ikuto: I can't really complain all that much.

Amu: You made me seem so mean.

Morg: Vampires have to be scary or else everyone would want to visit.

Ikuto: I would rather have my house for just me and Amu.

Amu: I wouldn't.

Morg: So hit me up with a review so I know what you think!


	9. Chapter 9

Morg: Heyo! Here's the final bit!

Ikuto: You could make this a bit longer, you know.

Amu: That's okay. This is enough.

Morg: I'm really happy with how this all turned out. I hope everyone else enjoyed it, too.

Ikuto I'm sure someone did.

Amu: Probably not.

Morg: You know, the first thing I'd do once I owned you would be to turn that frown upside down.

Ikuto: That's not what I'd do.

Amu: It will never happen.

**~Vampire Heart~**

Amu let out a sigh as she stood with Ikuto near the railing of their deck. From where they stood, she could see out over the countryside and down to the manor that she'd spent a week in earlier that year. "It's almost sad."

Wrapping his arms around Amu's waist, Ikuto rested his chin against her shoulder. "What is, love?"

Smiling just because they were together and the day was nice and the sun was warm, Amu pressed her head against Ikuto's. "That they're moving away. I was looking forward to getting together sometimes for tea."

Chuckling at that, Ikuto turned so that he could place a kiss to the side of Amu's head. "You know, I've never liked having neighbors."

"Really?"

"Really. It wasn't until you showed up there that I thought that house was going to be good for anything."

Amu couldn't help the grin on her face after that confession. "I wasn't so eager to go there. Though now I'm glad I did since I ended up here because of it."

Ikuto was about to say something more when the sound of a huff came from behind them.

"Yaya doesn't understand why Amu-chan gets to be out in the sun but Yaya can't!"

Turning back, Ikuto looked at the other six vampire's just out of the sun's rays. "Because she's my wife. I gave her some of my powers when we wed."

Flicking her hair, Rima leaned back into the chest behind her. "It also wasn't fair that she only took a few minutes to turn. I remember hours of pain."

Nagihiko couldn't help but tighten his arms around Rima. He had similar memories, but knowing that she'd gone through it too made him want to hold her closer.

Snorting, Utau stood with her arm around Kukai's shoulders. His hand was settled on her hip, not that Utau minded. "Don't worry, we get it. You're the king."

Kukai couldn't help his grin. "And Amu's the queen."

Pressing his glasses into place-ones he wore out of habit now instead of actually needing them-Kairi studied the two out in the daylight. "If that is the case, I think everything ended well."

No one could argue with that.

With one last glance, Amu turned away from the quickly emptying Hotori estate and faced her new family. "We will be benevolent rulers."

Instantly joining in on her teasing, Ikuto moved so that he was still right behind her. "Unless you piss me off."

The other six laughed before moving back further into the house. Soon enough it would be dark and they could go out and have some fun. They were running low on blood, but it wasn't that difficult to get more.

As she entered the house, Amu couldn't help but think that she was exactly where she was meant to be. Her future was very different from what she'd been expecting but it wasn't at all a bad thing. "Ikuto?"

Humming in response, Ikuto moved to let go of Amu's shoulders and take her hand.

"I love you."

Stopping, Ikuto turned back to look at the pinkette. Her eyes held no lie, not that he was expecting them to. "I love you, too."

Smiling at that, Amu entered the house. She was home.

**~The End~**

Morg: So there you go.

Ikuto: Could have been better.

Amu: Not complaining.

Morg: I don't care what either of you two think! I want to hear from my readers! Review!


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